What a week.....

Those of you who follow me on twitter will have gained the impression that I have had an ordinary week. I am sorry if I have been vague, but for a lot of reasons I have felt the need to internalize most of my thoughts & feelings. That is actually a WEIRD frame of mind for me....coz I talk!! I mean really talk....especially when I am upset or nervous.....(You guys who are staying with me in Sydney better get your listening ears ready!!)So as twitter is so VERY limiting in a character sense, I figured a nice long blog post might be the best way to get it all out!!

The week started off on Sunday with news that 3 elderly people whom I love & respect dearly were all really struggling. In one case it was simply an old age thing (94 years old), another The prostate cancer he has been battling for 10 years is finally taking over....the other heart issues. Both of the gentlemen are in their 80's, both in fact celebrated their 60th wedding anniversaries this year within weeks of each other. They have all valued & encouraged me over a number of years and just the thought of their passing has me in tears.

Wednesday morning Elsie left us.....the Funeral is Monday and I am VERY pleased to have been asked to assist with afternoon tea. It will give me something to focus on...I will need it! Rolled up in this sadness I guess is also knowing that Bill & Vic will not be far behind. I feel so grateful to have known these people and pray daily that I will be able to live by their example.

Weigh in day SUCKED.(and until I heard about Elsie I was very miserable about it, funny how life puts things in perspective) I GAINED 1.8kg!! GAINED almost 2 kg in a week?? Uugghh I had predicted with it being T.T.O.M. weigh in would suck but really, even I had not predicted that. I checked again on Thursday & I had LOST 1.1kg overnight.This morning I had LOST another 400g.... Now I KNOW I can fluctuate that much over a week....but I have NEVER had to actually record that...just this month it happened on a Wednesday. I know it is not a "real" gain....but it still bites!

Wednesday was a really really sucky day....coz THEN we noticed that our old and much beloved dog Socks was not well... We actually lost him for an hour, we thought he had gotten out which is one of his favourite tricks. While searching the house for him we found a very large vomit...and that was when alarm bells really started ringing for me. We eventually found him (after dark) tucked away under a bush in the back yard, pretty much comatose. We finally got him to wake up, and stand up but it was obvious he was not well. Off to the Vet at 9pm, sent home with antibiotics & an electrolyte solution. Our dogs sleep inside, well they are always inside so I found it a little strange and very disconcerting when he asked to go out at 4.30am then would not come back in. He curled up on their outside bed, and I decided to leave him in peace. Thursday morning we found him once again curled up way back in the garden....over the course of the morning, he would not eat or drink and he just slept & slept....appeared very groggy if I ever tried to check on him. 1pm I had had enough...being a warm day I was very worried about his hydration levels. Back to the Vet....this time they kept him for tests. Those tests confirmed the Vets suspicion that he was suffering from Pancreatitis and he would require hospitalization and IV fluids. (I had NEVER heard of dogs getting this, but I have since found out that I know 3 dogs that have had it....) I was told to expect that he could need to be in care for up to 3 days....THANKFULLY when we went to visit him at 8pm last night we found a very different dog, fluids and pain relief had worked wonders (Pancreatitis is excruciatingly painful I am told) This morning he held down the few bites of breakfast they gave him, and he ate a whole bowl at lunch!! Star patient it seems...good enough to be released late this afternoon. MAN it has been scary and it is great to have him home. Though I think I am driving him mad checking on him all the time. I always knew we would be sad to loose Socks. The Vet told me today his breed has a life expectancy of 12-15 years...and he is 13, so it is coming. This week has really bought home to me what an important part of our family He is....and I spent most of it thinking that this was it...that I would not get to bring him home....so glad we have some more time!

So thus ends the week....I am hoping for a much more peaceful weekend....STARTING tonight with a good night sleep....I have been up 3 or 4 times most nights this week. I have a headache now.....and I know it is simply a you need to sleep & de-stress kinda headache!

Thank you to everyone who has sent me messages of encouragement....I really do appreciate it

cheers

Lynda